Order management
Purchase order management for importers
Tyllus manages purchase orders for import teams and turns each PO into a shipment in one click. Every order holds the PO number, supplier, equipment, cargo-ready date, must-arrive-by date, private notes and your own custom columns. Six statuses keep the order list current, and a PO moves to Cargo Ready and to Shipped on its own.
Updated: October 3, 2026
What does a purchase order hold in Tyllus?
Each PO records what purchasing and logistics both need before cargo moves. The order list exports to CSV or Excel at any time.
- PO number and supplier, chosen from your supplier organizations and groups.
- Equipment as container type and count, for example 2 × 40' high cube.
- Cargo-ready date and must-arrive-by date.
- Private notes for your own team.
- Custom columns in five types (text, number, date, amount in USD and document); document columns take file uploads, so supporting files stay on the order.
Which PO statuses does Tyllus use, and what changes them?
Tyllus uses six PO statuses. Two changes happen on their own: an Open PO becomes Cargo Ready on its cargo-ready date, and a PO becomes Shipped as soon as a shipment is created from it.
| PO status | What it means | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | The order is still being prepared. | Set by your team. |
| Open | The order is placed and waiting for its cargo-ready date. | Automatic for a new PO whose cargo-ready date is still ahead. |
| In Progress | Work on the order is under way before the cargo is ready. | Set by your team. |
| Cargo Ready | The goods are ready to leave the supplier. | Automatic on the cargo-ready date, or set by your team. |
| Shipped | A shipment has been created from the PO. | Automatic once a shipment is created from the PO. |
| Cancelled | The order will not ship. | Set by your team. |
How does a PO become a shipment?
Click Create shipment on the PO. Tyllus opens the new shipment with the supplier, equipment and dates already filled in, and the PO moves to Shipped.
The cargo-ready date travels with the shipment. The first workflow step asks the supplier, through a secure link, to confirm the cargo is ready now or set the date it will be ready, and the forwarder's booking request follows from that date.
- No retyping: supplier, equipment and dates carry over from the PO.
- The PO number shows on the shipment, in container tracking and on the route map.
- Product lines (description, pieces, unit value, line total and HS code) are read from the commercial invoice once it reaches the shipment.
Can I bring my existing import spreadsheet into Tyllus?
Yes. Tyllus imports shipments from your spreadsheet, in the Tyllus template or in any other column layout, and matches the columns for you. The PO number is the only required column.
- Upload the Excel file you already keep; there is no need to reformat it first.
- Columns are matched to Tyllus fields automatically, in any order.
- A review grid lets you edit rows, assign the supplier, forwarder and customs broker, and request documents before any shipment is created.
- Export orders to CSV or Excel whenever finance or management asks for them.
Turn your next PO into a shipment
Create an account without a sales call, add a PO or import your spreadsheet, and click Create shipment. The supplier receives the first request automatically.